If the HPU softball team felt any jitters prior to hosting its first regional, it was probably just as much from final exams as it was the game.

Lady Sea Warriors designated hitter Maile Kim took a final at 9:40 a.m., suited up, and promptly went 2-for-3 with three RBIs yesterday as HPU prevailed 6-1 in a first-round game at the NCAA Division II Softball West sub-regionals at Howard Okita Field on the Hawaii Loa campus.

Kim's early offensive support was all the cushion Pacific West Conference pitcher of the year Sherise Musquiz needed, as the 6-foot right-hander tossed a three-hitter while giving up a lone fifth-inning run.

“;Every time we score runs early it's a lot better for me out on the mound,”; Musquiz said. “;It helps ease the nerves and let's me focus on the batter. My defense behind me played great and once we started scoring the pressure was off.”;

With end-of-semester tests out of the way, the host team also felt the comfort of playing on its own grass. Although this is HPU's sixth NCAA-II regional appearance, the previous five were played on the mainland.

“;Being at home is a definite advantage — the kid's are more relaxed and they get to sleep in their own beds, eat the kind of foods that they're used to”; said head coach Bryan Nakasone. “;I think all Hawaii teams are used to having to make the long trips for postseason play and of course it's tough with the economics now but I'm glad the NCAA gave us a chance to host.”;

After dispatching the Wildcats in order in the opening stanza, the Lady Sea Warriors got on the board in their half of the first when Kim hit a blooper to left, scoring Ciera Senas, who opened the inning by getting hit by a pitch. She advanced to second on Mililani grad Casey Sugihara's sacrifice bunt.

Kim struck again in the third. With Senas at first, two outs and a 0-2 count, Kim hammered the ball over the left-field fence and to the base of the tree line to put the Lady Sea Warriors up 3-0.

“;Maile is all of 5-foot-3 and hit a pitch that was about 5-foot-7, but she got all of it, got the job done,”; Nakasone said.

Top-seeded HPU (42-6), the PacWest champion, will play No. 2 seed Cal State Monterey Bay (34-18) in today's first game. The Otters, winners of the California Collegiate Athletic Association, beat Hawaii-Hilo 8-0 earlier in the day.

HPU pitcher Musquiz, a senior from Pico Rivera, Calif., pitched no-hit ball until the fifth, when Western Washington left fielder Ashley Fix opened with a single to right and scored on the next at-bat after catcher Meghan Kopczynski doubled to right to cut the lead to 3-1.

CSMB 8, Hawaii-Hilo 0

The first time is the sweetest.

It was a game of firsts as Cal State Monterey Bay blanked Hawaii-Hilo in the regional's opening game, which ended in the sixth inning via mercy rule.

The Otters (34-18) won their first regional tournament game with CCAA co-pitcher and newcomer of the year Diane Ortiz pitching her first shutout of the season as well. In addition, No. 2 pitcher and DH Nicole Garcia slammed a two-run homer over the right-field fence in the bottom of the fourth, her first of the season.

Hawaii Hilo (35-15) faces Central Washington in an elimination game today.